Maryland Board of Education President Tours PGCPS for Back-to-School

To kick off the new school year, Maryland State Board of Education President Dr. Joshua Michael joined Superintendent Millard House II to tour PGCPS schools! The visits highlighted schools where students saw significant improvements on the 2023-24 MCAP assessments and showcased several innovative academic programs.

“It is great to see the wonderful things that are going on and the great work in our literacy and math classes,” Dr. Michael said. “We're excited for the year ahead and look forward to great things here in Prince George's County and across the state of Maryland.”

At Charles Herbert Flowers High School, where students saw a 15.9 percentage point  increase in English Language Arts (ELA) and 4.4 percentage point increase in mathematics scores over the prior year, President Michael and Superintendent House heard from students about specialty programs including Fire Cadet, Science and Technology, 3D Scholars and Computer Science — and how these pathways are providing them with tools to excel in their future careers.

Senior Duke Boateng, who is enrolled in the computer science programs, said he is looking forward to a career in information technology, with a specific focus on geographical information systems. He described how the program is helping him earn valuable certifications and providing opportunities to apply his skills to real-world challenges.

The Kettering Middle School tour kicked off in the school’s new student data room, a space for educators to collaborate on strategies to improve student performance.

Visitors toured three Spanish Immersion classrooms to observe eighth grade classes taught exclusively in Spanish: Dr. Torres’ math class, Ms. Pacheco’s science class and Mr. Oyola’s Spanish Language Arts class.

“We’re seeing a steady increase in the number of eighth-grade students who qualify for the Spanish portion of the Maryland State Seal of Biliteracy, which recognizes students who have attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation,” said Jane Tarwacki, PGCPS Instructional Supervisor for the Department of Specialty Programs and the Arts. “Our Spanish immersion students will transition to the immersion program at Largo High School, right down the street.”

President Michael also had a chance to meet with students and staff at Barnaby Manor Elementary School, where students earned impressive gains of 5.2% in RELA and 13.1% in mathematics on the most recent MCAP assessments.

“I credit our success in mathematics to our dedication, hard work, and my students' eagerness to learn,” said LaTina McQueen, fourth-grade math educator. “My students come to school excited to explore new concepts and strive to do their best, which fosters a love for learning and mathematics.”